Tennis-ball cover



Feb. 17. 19.257 1,526,936

' J. M. RU MRILL TENNI S BALL COVER Filed Aug. 11, 1924 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS cove-r molded on the center.

Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

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Application tied. August 11., 1924. Serial No. 731,331.

To all whom it may concern:

is a specification.

Thisinventi-on relates to an improvement in tennis balls andmo-re particularly to the character of the fabric cover pieces for the ball.

copending application owned by the same ass-igneeand ii d by Frank Jl Faulkner and Charles B. lV hitney, 'Maroh 16, .1920, Serial No. 366,399, there is described-a novel type of tennis ball and method of making the same involving the use of an over-size The present invention is directed more particularly to an'ii'np'rovement in thejcover pieces disclosed in said application, and will be found useful in carrying out the process therein described as well as other methods of covering tennis balls. In a general way the object of the present improvement is the provision of a cover of novel design which may be quickly and evenly disposed about the center by more or less unskilled workmen, preparatory to the finishing operation.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following d-escription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show the preferred embodiment of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a tennis ball center with the cover pieces in position to be applied thereto, one above and one below said center; and

Fig. 2 is a View of the center with the cover pieces completely wrapped around the same, preparatory to being molded.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the center of the tennis ball is indicated at l and the two semicover pieces at 2 and 3, respectively. These cover pieces are symmetrical in shape, and of long and narrow contour somewhat similar to a figure 8. They are preferably of equal size and in applying the same to the rubber center, are disposed at right angles to one another, as shown in Fig. 1. The surface of the center as well as the contacting surfaces of the semicover pieces are, of course, provided with a suitable adhesive for cementing "the covers upon the center.

The method heretofore employed for -ef fectingfthe even distribution of the semicover pieces around the center 1 is "to place the two semicovers one above and one below the center with the long and short axes of said semicovers intersecting at right angles and in the axial line of the center and then to wrap or fold each semicover piece about the center until the peripheral edges all come into abutting contact. While the i above method has been found generally satisfactory, particularly when performed byskilled help I have found that an even distribution of the semicovers onthe center may be more quickly effected and with the use of less skilled help by the use. of the improved form of semicovers such as will now be described.

As shown, small V-shaped cuts 4: are made in each semicover at the ends of the long axes thereof, 7 and 8, respectively. Also at the ends of the short axes of each semicover, V-shaped cuts 5 are made. It will be noted that the V-shaped cuts 5 project outwardly from the periphery and the V-shaped cuts 4 project inwardly from the periphery of said cover pieces. The cuts a at the ends of one semicover piece are brought into register with the cuts 5 at the sides of the other semicover when wrapping the cover pieces around the center.

In the case of an oversize cover being applied to the center, that is, one in which two semicovers together are slightly greater in area than the surface of the center, the surplus of fabric in the cover pieces should be distributed as evenly as possible over the surface of the center so that when the cover is molded on the center the compressed and compacted condition of the cover will be as uniform as possible throughout the surface of the ball. Under such conditions there will be a minimum of tendency for the semicovers to pull away or separate at the seams. Accordingly, in order to facilitate this even application of such over-size semicovers to the center, I have provided additional cuts at the periphery of said semicovers indicated at 9 and which, as shown, are substantially half way along the perimeter of each cover piece between the cuts 5 and the cuts 4:. In wrapping the cover pieces on the center the cuts 9 of one cover piece are madelit) to register with the similar cuts on the other cover piece thereby insuring an even distribution of the surplus of said cover around the center.

It will be noted that the cuts 9 on both cover pieces project outwardly from the periphery and therefore, cannot be made to interfit as is the case with the cuts 5 and 4:. This, however, will not make any material difference in the finished ball since the cuts 9 are of such small character that when placed in abutment on the wrapped ball, the subsequent molding operation of the cover on the ball will bury the cuts 9 in the edges of the fabric in such a way that they will effectually disappear.

lVhile, as stated, the present improvement is designed more particularly for use in connection with the application of over-size covers to centers for making tennis balls, it obviously may also be employed in the application of non-over-size covers to centers and various other changes may be made in the particular form and location of the cuts shown without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

1. A tennis ball comprising a center and a two piece cover of fabric each cover piece being long and narrow in shape with cuts therein at the ends of the long and short axis thereof together and with additional peripheral cuts substantially half way between said first named' cuts, whereby the registration of the corresponding cuts of the two cover pieces will insure the even disposition of said cover pieces on the center.

2. A tennis ball comprising a center and a two piece oversize cover of fabric molded on the center each cover piece being long and narrow in shape with cuts therein at the ends of the long and short axis thereof and with additional peripheral cuts substan tially half way between said first named cuts, whereby the registration of the corresponding cuts of the two cover pieces will insure the even disposition of said cover pieces on the center.

3. A tennis ball comprising a center and a two piece cover of fabric each cover piece being substantially of a figure 8 in shape with interfitting V-shaped cuts therein at the ends of the long and short aXis thereof and with additional peripheral cuts substantially half way between said first named cuts, whereby the registration of the corresponding cuts of the two cover pieces will insure the even disposition of said cover pieces on the center.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

JAMES MELVILLE RUMRILL. 

